(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication via direct cable connection between submerged vessels such as submarines, and deals more specifically with a system for providing a direct optical coupling or link between submarines capable of launching undersea vehicles, and controlling these vehicles via fiber optic cable.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Fiber optic cable connections have been proposed in the prior art. For example see U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,194 to Gregory Ames entitled "Apparatus For Interconnecting An Underwater Vehicle And A Free-Floating Pod", assigned to the United States Navy. This '194 patent discloses a system for providing communication between a submarine and an underwater device by deploying an underwater vehicle which is guided toward the underwater device for making a connection with the underwater device.
Other prior art of more remote relevancy to the present disclosure can be summarized as follows. U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,964 to Steinmetz discloses a mooring system for a dirigible in which capture arms are provided for engaging a mooring cable. U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,732 to Eaton discloses a torpedo construction comprising interconnected cylindrical sections. U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,525 to De Vries discloses a gas bag retained within a recovery section of a torpedo, and useful to float the otherwise non-buoyant torpedo. U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,722 to Seiple discloses a docking system for an underwater vehicle that is adapted to home in on a transducer mounted on a deployed mooring line. Guide arms on the vehicle capture the line and the vehicle travels along the line so as to permit a catch on the line to be received in a socket mounted at the apex of the arms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,552 to Sandler discloses a torpedo flotation device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,069 to August discloses a sectional torpedo that includes guidance and control means as well as internal propulsion means.
The chief object of the present invention is to provide a system whereby a submarine together with its associated undersea vehicle can be linked with the undersea vehicle of a second submarine so as to provide a direct optical link or connection between the two submarines. Such a direct link or coupling with its capability of fiber optical communication between the two submarines would provide further covert communication between the two submarines, and represent a substantial improvement over present communication systems of the type that require radio links or other non-covert elements to complete a communication connection between two submarines at sea.